Author's Note
I don't OWN Sailor Moon…. Yet the story concept is mine…. Please don't take it without my consent…. PLEASE……….
Sorry for the short chapter…. I can't see the logic is making the guard less curious yet. That and I have a ton of papers and work to do this weekend, and I didn't have much time in the week. Well, enjoy!
Serena or Catarina?
Chapter 5: A Curious Guard
"Mina! Come look at this!" Raye said, as Catarina brushed off the skirt. Mina stepped in, and jumped at the sight of her.
"She is a dead ringer for Serena."
"The voice however, is not," Lita said. "Everyone will know immediately if we don't fix that."
"Darien will be over in about five minutes," Mina replied.
"Girls, did you really—oh, my stars!" Luna said, and then quickly realized that she had spoken in front of Catarina, who moved to her, and smiled.
"You're Luna."
"How do you know my name?" Luna demanded.
"Got me. I can't remember meeting you," Catarina replied, patting her head and stepping away.
"You're kidding," Luna said, as Catarina shook her head. "What was your name again?"
"Catarina."
"Hey girls, Chad said you were—whoa," Darien said, looking right at Catarina. "That's pretty good."
"But it's her voice that will give her away," Lita said. "She sounds British."
"You are quite right," Catarina admitted, looking at herself. "I doubt I could hide for very long with looks alone."
"Serena? Is that you?" a little childish voice exclaimed. A girl with pink pigtails ran right in and hugged Catarina.
"I'm sorry little one, but I'm not Serena," Catarina replied, as the group looked at Darien.
"She was visiting. What was I supposed to do? Send her home?" Darien asked.
"Well, you sure look like her!" Rini replied. "Are you sure you're not meatball head playing some game with me?"
"I'm sorry," Catarina replied, gracefully curtsying.
"That, you can't do," Amy started. "Serena would never do that."
"I have a feeling this is going to be harder than you let on," Catarina said.
"Why are you dressing her up like Serena girls?" Rini asked.
"Until we find her Rini, we have to make sure no one else notices she is gone," Mina explained. "She's doing us a favor in return for our help with something else."
"But why can't you find her?" Rini asked. "Amy, didn't you tell Trista you were sure you were sure you had found her?"
"She was who we found," Lita replied. "It's a long story Rini."
"Then where is she if Amy can't find her?" Rini asked.
"We don't know, but we're going to find out," Raye answered.
"I'm sure she's quite alright, wherever this Serena girl is. She sounds like she's important enough that no one would harm her," Catarina said thoughtfully…
"Whoa, no way, I do not sleep in a bed of ice!" Serena exclaimed. "No way!"
"Your Majesty?" Aspera asked. "Are you certain of this?"
"My bed was made of cotton, wool, and springs," Serena replied as Aspera laughed.
"You certainly have a good sense of humor. Good night Your Highness. Guard Thomas will fetch you anything you need, so there is no need for you to travel out into the wonderful weather."
"It's a blizzard outside."
"I know," Aspera replied, leaving Serena to the frozen room. She skated to the closet, and nearly whipped out a series of dresses, but was suddenly aware of the second presence, as she came face to face with the man from earlier.
"Preparing for a blizzard stroll?" he asked.
"No," Serena replied bluntly. "Isn't it impolite to be in a lady's room without knocking?"
"Forgive me. I see you still don't remember."
Serena turned back to the clothes, looking at them thoughtfully.
"You're still mistaken. I am not Princess Catarina. In fact, I want to go home to Earth and my beloved Endymion."
The man jumped back at this.
"I was unaware that you had found a new love on Earth. In that case, I must kill him," he said, as Serena spun around.
"WHAT?" she demanded.
"It's custom. If a princess finds two beloveds they must duel to the death. I will find him in the morning and destroy him, so that we may have eternal happiness together," the man said, bowing. He was gone in an instant, as Serena tried to grab him.
"NO!" she shouted, suddenly feeling hopeless as she tripped and skidded on the ice. "Don't hurt him. Leave him be."
"Princess?" a new masculine voice asked, as a guard stepped in, seeing Serena's eyes well up with tears, and her pounding her fist on the ground.
"Stupid stupid stupid!" Serena shouted. "Now you've gone and done it Meatball Head. That psychopath is going to kill Darien and it'll be all your fault."
A tear hit the floor, as the guard's eyes widened, and he now knelt by her.
"My lady, please don't cry. If you continue to do so, you will be killed before morning," he whispered. Serena shot up, suddenly realizing his presence.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"When Princess Catarina would cry, her tears would bring flowers up from even the thickest of ice. If anyone were to see you cry, they would kill you as an imposter."
"Why do you care?" Serena asked. "That man is going to kill my Darien."
"I care because," the guard started, but blushed beneath the metal. "Wait, what's his real name?"
"He has two names, like me. On any average day he's Darien."
"You're fortunate for not telling him that, for he will shout from rooftop to rooftop that he's out to kill the beloved of Catarina known as Endymion."
"Why do you care?" Serena asked again. "You could just let them know and kill me off."
"Because I know more about this palace and its rulers than I care to share at the moment," he said quickly.
"So are you really the princess of that fallen kingdom?"
"Yes," Serena replied, feeling better, suddenly understood by this strange guard. "You see, my mother sent us into the future using the Silver Imperium Crystal and since then…"
"Is this better?" Catarina asked again, as the group shook their heads.
"You sound like Serena on helium," they all said.
"How about now?"
"You've got that British thing back," Lita said.
"Now?"
"Her voice is whinier," Raye and Rini noted.
"This?" Catarina asked for the fiftieth time, as the group all jumped.
"That's it!" they cheered.
"All that's left is to get the attitude down," Amy added.
"We'll have to work on that at school. If she's up any later I doubt she'll make it."
"Serena never did," Amy reminded her…